Former Hockey Player Takes the Win from Whitman’s Accounting Department

Michael Pellizzari ’25 went from working out on a sheet of ice to working on an Excel spread sheet when he enrolled at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management after playing three years of junior ice hockey. 

Starting a new chapter, Pellizzari decided to focus on academics and a career in business. The Syracuse, New York, native grew up cheering for the Orange, so when he was accepted into the Whitman School, he decided it was a good fit for him. 

He admits that when he enrolled at Whitman, majoring in accounting wasn’t at the top of his list. However, that changed when he excelled in ACC 151: Introduction to Accounting, a course required for all business students. Pellizzari knew accounting was a great foundation for any type of business career, and he found that he enjoyed it. Equipped with the life skills learned from hockey, like dedication, discipline and teamwork, he challenged himself with a double major in both accounting and finance. 

Starting college at age 21 was not the typical experience that most first-year students have. Due to some college credits he had earned through a program at his high school, Pellizzari was able to start at Whitman with sophomore status, but he didn’t live on campus with his classmates, which made finding his place challenging. 

That all changed, however, when he was accepted into Beta Alpha Psi, the international honor society for accounting, finance and information systems students. Pellizzari applied as soon as he was eligible, and by his second semester in the honor society he ran for president with the idea of making Beta Alpha Psi more collaborative and inclusive in order to better empower its members to develop professionally. Soon, he was networking with many Whitman alumni and other professionals on behalf of the organization to create a larger network for his fellow members and bring those currently working in the associated fields to campus for networking and speaking engagements.  

Pellizzari also credits the accounting faculty for helping Whitman feel like home. “As I progressed through various accounting classes, every professor became like family to me, and many of the other accounting students became a tight knit group of friends working toward the same goals,” he says. “There’s something really special about the accounting program here at Whitman. There’s a sense of comfort that runs through the whole school that has really added to my experience.” 

A major turning point for Pellizzari came when Career Services told him about a coffee chat that Big Four accounting firm KPMG was holding at Whitman. He attended, making some valuable connections with the firm that led to an internship at the KPMG New York Office during the summer of 2024. This experience allowed him to work in financial due diligence, part of KPMG’s deal advisory and strategy practice. Proving his capabilities, he received a return to work offer at the end of that summer—one year before graduation. 

While Pellizzari knew he had a job waiting for him, he didn’t rest on his laurels. Instead, he continued to immerse himself in his studies, activities and campus events. His commitment to his educational experience led to several awards, including the Syracuse University Orange Distinction Award, the Invest in SUccess Scholar Award, the Tracy Halpin Scholar Award, Whitman Scholar and the KPMG Future Business Leader Award.  

The one he is most proud of, however, is the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) Undergraduate Academic Achievement Award for which he was nominated by Professor of Accounting Practice Joyce Zadzilka, the campus liaison for Whitman. “It was a true honor to receive this award and be recognized for my efforts working towards a career in this profession,” he says. 

Having just graduated in May, Pellizzari is currently studying for his CPA exams, which he hopes to complete by the time he starts his job with KPMG in its Denver office next January. 

“While my route to the Whitman School wasn’t the traditional one, it was a terrific decision that has allowed me to meet great people, learn foundational skills that I will carry with me throughout my career and set me up for success,” says Pellizzari. “I am proud to be a Whitman graduate, and I look forward to the future.”